Niacin improves developmental ability by increasing glutathione levels and promoting male pronuclear formation in porcine oocytes grown in vitro.

We examined the effect of niacin, a water-soluble vitamin essential for the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, and other substrates, on the developmental potential of oocytes grown in vitro, as well as the number and activity of mitochondria and reduced glutathione (GSH) content in oocytes. Porcine oocytes were cultured in medium containing 0-10 mM niacin for 12 days. Subsequently, in vitro maturation was performed, followed by in vitro fertilization using intracytoplasmic sperm injection, and the ability to develop into blastocysts was examined. Niacin treatment (10 mM) increased the mitochondrial, GSH, and glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit contents in porcine oocytes grown in vitro. Furthermore, niacin treatment enhanced male pronuclear formation and blastocyst development rates in porcine oocytes grown in vitro. Niacin increased the mitochondrial content and GSH levels in porcine oocytes and enhanced the ability of oocytes to form male pronuclei, which in turn promoted embryonic development.